Five-under 66 for Loch Lomond specialist Lehman

LOCH LOMOND, Scotland, July 15 (Reuters) Tom Lehman again showed his liking for the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond today, setting the early pace in the clubhouse after compiling a five-under-par 66 in the Scottish Open third round.

On another calm, sunny day, the US Ryder Cup captain made a fast start with four birdies in the first six holes.

The 47-year-old Lehman dropped strokes at the 12th and 17th but birdie threes at the 14th, 15th and 18th gave him a six-under-par total of 207, five adrift of Britain's Darren Clarke who starts his round later.

Lehman, who lifted the Loch Lomond World Invitational trophy nine years ago, has not recorded an individual victory since the 2000 Phoenix Open.

His best performance this season was a fourth-place finish in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in California in February when he picked up a cheque for 450,000 dollars.

Lehman will lead the US in the Ryder Cup at the K Club in Ireland in September.

Reuters DH DS1712